Can it really be this easy? Introducing new hens

[foxinachickenhouse]

A few weeks back we got 3 new Australorp hens. After the appropriate quarantine period I prepared to introduce them to my mixed flock. I was planning to bring them in slowly in a separate run/ same area etc, etc.

Day before yesterday, in a fit of post flu dementia I decided to just let them all out to free range together and see what happened. There was 1 small scuffle, our wonderful roo broke it up immediately and that was it. They free ranged together all afternoon, eventually bedding back in their respective coops.

Next day, I put the new girls in the run area with the flock and there was no drama whatsoever. They all acted like they had been there all along. Come night fall I let them bed in each their respective coops again.

Today, same thing. They go into to run with the flock, no drama. So I locked them all in the main coop at dusk and let it play out at roosting time. One new hen roosted just fine between her new buddies and the other 2 were confused, so I put them on the roost. Now they are all just fine.

My question is...can it really be this easy? Will I wake up to carnage? Did we just get lucky? Is it because of our excellent roo and his supervisory skills? I expected a lot more stress and kerfuffles.

 

[NYREDS]

Sometimes it's that easy, sometimes you get carnage. The carnage usually occurs on introduction not later. I think you're ok.

 

[tinychicky]

cool

i wish my leghorn girl was that easy. she FIGHTS MY COCHIN ROOSTER! AND HE FIGHTS BACK!

 

[wingsofglory]

Very encouraging. Thank you for posting.

 

[mboreham1]

yep, it was that easy for me! free ranging where there was plenty of space for escape from scuffles is the key to the introduction. i have introduced birds 4 times like this and never once "carnage"

 

[dreamer4217]

I introduced two new older hens to my two younger hens last night and had no problems at all and I do not have a rooster old enough to go outside of the border yet. I'm excited to get the baby's out side... O o O and I got my First 2 eggs ever today

 

[foxinachickenhouse]

An uneventful night in the coop! I am grateful it went so smoothly and am so glad we got the new Aussies. They are such good layers. New happy chickens, what a joy.